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Question:

Recently someone told me that they believed that the work of God in John 6:29 means that God makes a person believe. I assume they think the Holy Spirit works in a person making them believe. I know that faith comes from hearing the Word of God but would like to know if there are any other Scriptures I could use in teaching this.

Answer:

What the person is doing is playing with the flexibility in language.

"Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent"" (John 6:28-29).

What was the question? "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" The answer was that believing was the work God wanted them to do. This passage does not teach that the Holy Spirit (not even mentioned) forces a person to believe. Jesus is telling them what they must do.

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

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